Grain-cleaning machine



"(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

J LBASER.

GRAIN CLEANING MAGHINB.

Patented June 11, 1889.

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(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

J. LEASER. 4 GRAIN CLEANING. MACHINE. No. 405,168. vPamel'lted June 11,1889.

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I JyWWM Q t N, PETERS, Pho\0-LllMgnpher, Wuhlngkm. D-C- UNITED STATESPATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH LEASER, OF XVHEATON, MINNESOTA.

GRAIN-CLEANING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 405,168, dated June 11,1889.

Application filed August 24, 1888. Serial No. 283,642. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOSEPH LEASER, of

lVheaton, in the county of Traverse and State of Minnesota, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Grain-Cleaning Machines,of which the following is a specification.

My invention consists, generally, in the construction and combinationhereinafter described, and particularly pointed out 'in the claims. 7

My object is to provide a machine for graincleaning purposes in whichthe gravity of the grain is utilized as a motive power for starting anddriving or operating a screen-cleaning apparatus, a fan, or other deviceconnected with grain-cleaning machinery, thereby effecting a saving oflabor and power.

In the drawings formingapart of this specification, Figure 1 is a sideelevation of a machine constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig.2 is a detail front View showing the upper part of the machine and theendless bucket-carrying belt. Fig. '3 is a detail sectional view showingthe manner in which the belt is guided in the chute or box whichincloses its three sides. Fig. 4 is a rear elevation of the machine.Fig. 5 is a detail view of the distributing bucket-wheel.

In the drawings, 2 represents a suitable frame, which supports and'towhich is secured the operating parts of the machine.

1 represents a hopper to receive the grain to be cleaned, having at itsbottom an opening the size of which is regulated by the slide 3, andthrough which the grain is delivered from the hopper into the buckets 6of the endless belt 5. .This belt is supportedand carried upon suitablebelt-wheels 7 and 9, which are adjusted in proper bearings in and uponthe frame 2. The wheel 7 is shown as journaled in the center of thesupportingframe posts, while the wheel 9 turns in bearings, which arefastened to the front of the frame-posts, so that the wheel 9 is notdirectly under the wheel 7, but forward of it, and the bucket-belt issupported in an, inclined position instead of a vertical one. Anysuitable means may be used for supporting the down side of the belt inan inclined position. This endless belt is inclosed in a tapering spoutor chute formed partially by the sides 11, made,

preferably, of wood and provided with grooves in which the belt isguided. The front of the spout is formed by the flexible apron 15,fastened to the sides 11. This apron is fastened in a substantiallyvertical position, so that the buckets of the belt stand back a shortdistance from it at the top and approach it as they descend, fittingclosely against it at the bottom, and the grain is thus prevented frompassing by the buckets. This arrangement of the sides 11 and the apronforms a tapering spout or chute, through which the down side of thebucketrbelt passes. As the buckets do not fill the spout at its upperpart, the grain passes down the spout, some of itentering each of thebuckets until all of them are filled. The weight of the grain in theseries of buckets both starts the machine and keeps it going, and thisform of spout also prevents .any clogging of the grain in its passagefrom the hopper. Vere it not for this arrange ment of the spout thegrain passing from the hopper could only strike the upper bucket, and tostart the machine it'would be necessary to move it by hand until all ornearly all of the buckets had become filled.

17 is an inclined chute or board, upon which the grain drops from thebuckets as they pass under the wheel 9, and which delivers the graininto the buckets or cups 19 of the cupwheels 21, which are supported andrevolve in a slightly-inclined position upon their support 23. Thesecups 19 are preferably of semicircular or half-cylindrical form, so thatthey are adapted-to receive and hold the grain as it is delivered tothem from the chute 17, (see Fig. 5,) and so on,that as they are turnedby the Weight of the grain the grain is gradually poured out of them anddistributed over Wide surface.

25 is a shaft supported upon the frame 2, and carries the band-wheel 27,upon which runs the belt 29. This belt also runs over a drum orband-wheel 31, which is fixed to the shaft of the belt-carrying wheel 7.It is fur nished with the cleats or cross-pieces 33, fastened at regularintervals to the outside of the belt. Supported from the inclined frame35 by the links 37 are the screens or sieves 39, which are substantiallyparallel to the frame 35 and to each other. These sieves are allowed bythe links to move freely longitudinally, and are connected by the bars4:1 to cocentric a3 upon the shaft 25, by means of which they are givena vibrating motion.

45 are heaters pivoted to the frame at 47, and so adjusted as to bestruck by the cleats of the belt 29, which depress their short ends inpassing, so as to throw up the longer ends against the under sides ofthe screens 39.

ll) is a fan-wheel properly supported in bearings directly over theupper screen 39, and which is driven by the belt 51, running over theband-wheel 2G.

23, which supports the cup-wheels 21, delivers the grain as it isdistributed from the cups directly upon the upper end of the up persieve 39. provided with larger meshes than the lower, and of suflicientsize to allow the grain to drop through, but separating and carrying oifthe straw, sticks, and larger mrticleswhile the lower screen frees thegrain from grassseed and the smaller impurities. The screens are placeda sufficient distance apart to allow the beater freedom of motionbetween them.

The fan it!) serves to blow backward and separate from the grain thedust and lighter impurities as the grain is delivered upon the screen bythe chute 23.

IVhen the machine is used in grain-elevators, I prefer to provide theframe with a central vertical pivot 50 at its top and bottom, which ismounted in suitable steps or journal bearings, and which permits thewhole machine to be swung around, so asto cause the grain to bedelivered into any one of the bins of the elevator.

-I do not wish to limit myself to the devices shown for imparting motionfrom the upper shaft to the fan, the sieves, and the heaters. Anypreferred arrangement of belts or gearing maybe used for driving thesedevices from either the upper or the lowershaf t.

The operation of the machine is as follows: The grain being placed inthe hopper 1, the slide 3 is raised suflieiently to allow the desiredamount to flow through the mouth of the hopper 4, which directs thegrain into the buckets 6 of the endless belt 5, and the shape of thespout in which the belt runs permits all of the buckets to be filled,which causes the machine to start. The weight of the grain carried bythe buckets serves as a motive power for the machinery. The bucketsdescend with their loads, fitting more and more closely in theirconfined space and emptying their loads as they pass under the wheel 9.The chute 17 receives the grain as poured out from the buckets anddischarges This upper sieve is preferably it into the cups of the wheels21.. As these cups are filled, the weight of the grain serves toturn thewheels 21 and the grain is thus gradually poured out of the cups and.evenly distributed over the width of the chute 23, whence it passesdownward and upon the upper screen 39. The endless belt 5 in itsmovement, as described, turns its supportingwheel 7 and the, wheel 31,fastened to the same shaft. The wheel 31 thus drives the belt 29, whichin turn drives the wheel 27, and it, by means of the belt 51, alsodrives the fan-wheel l9, so that the fan-wheel l?) serves to fan thegrain as it descends upon the screen 39. The eccentric shakes thescreens 30, as described. The eleatsof the belt 29 strike the beatersl5, and they in turn the screens 39, by means of all which mechanism thegrain is cleared of its impurities and delivered from-the lower on d ofthe lower screen.

The power derived from gravity of the loaded buckets of the belt 5depends upon the number and size of the buckets, which may be increased,so as to supply any desired power.

I claim as my invention 1.. In a grain-cleaning machine, thecombination, with the cleaning mechanism, of the grain delivering andoperating mechanism, comprising the tapering spout or passage formed ofthe sides 11, provided with grooves in their inner surfaces, theflexible apron 15,

forming the front of said spout, and the endless belt 5, provided with aseries of buckets (3, arranged in said spout and having its edges guidedby the grooves in the sides 11, substantially as described.

'2. The combination, in a grain-cleaning machine with asuitable sieve,of the inclined spremling-wheels 21, provided withthe series of bucketsarranged upon their upper surfaces, as and for the purpose specified.

3. Ina grain-cleaning machine, the combination, with a suitable sieve,of the wheels 21, provided with the buckets 19 and arranged to dischargethe grain across said sieve, and the endless band provided with a seriesof buckets adapted to be movedby the falling grain and to deliver thegrain to the buckets upon said wheel, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand-this 6th day of July,1888.

.TOSE'III LEASER.

In presence of- A. 0. PAUL, C. L. Naerrrnmn.

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